A Rebellion of Love
by a spec in time
Summary: Ginny is left confused and friendless in her sixth year as Harry goes off to confront Voldemort. To deal with her conflicting feelings, she begins acting out. How will the unlikley love of a certain Slytherin affect her path to self destruction?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Harry's Farewell

A small dark figure hovered over the the Weasley's garden. It was dusk, the sun already hidden behind the abundance of tree-tops clouding the horizon. A faint pinkish glow illuminated the vivid red hair of the figure as it made a loud grunt-like exclamation and hurled yet another crab apple off into the distance.

"Ginny dear, come off that broom and help me set up for dinner. You've been out hear for hours!" Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out shrilly in the quiet evening from the Burrow's doorway. As the round women slammed the door she mumbled, "You'd think she'd be spending every last minute with Harry seeing as its his last night and all." Her eyes revealed a great depth of worry. Trouble with her daughter's relationship was just one more concern on top of everything else.

Harry had been visiting the Weasley's for a couple of weeks before he headed off to search of the remaining horcruxes with Hermione and Ron in order to fulfill his destiny. Meanwhile, Ginny would return to Hogwarts studying and doing homework while constantly wondering if her boyfriend, brother, and best friend were at the moment in mortal peril.

Well perhaps boyfriend wasn't the correct term Ginny thought bitterly. The fear and frustration at her inability to help in Harry's quest was mingled with conflicting feelings about their relationship. Harry was a changed man and Ginny just couldn't take it anymore. She hurled one more apple in anger, landed her broom, and stomped indoors.

When dinner was ready, Ginny was sent to fetch Harry. She climbed the many stairs to Ron's room and abruptly knocked on the door. There was no response. "Typical," huffed Ginny. She flung the door open and examined the serious boy slouched over a book on Ron's bed. He was completely average looking, a lean figure with pale skin and unruly hair. His clothes were rumpled for lack of attention. His thin face sported deep worry lines as he studied, attempting to take in everything and anything that may help him defeat Voldemorte.

Harry Potter had the weight of the world on his shoulders, there was no denying it. And as mean as it sounded, this did not exactly make him prime dating material. It would be one thing if he remained open to his friends and could still manage to find some pleasure in life, but Harry had completely given himself over to anxiety and the the prospect of himself as the world's only possible savior. He was so incredibly serious all the time and so incredibly focused on himself. Of course that could only be expected in light of his situation, Ginny thought guilty.

Finally, Harry noticed Ginny's presence and looked up at her, his intense green eyes seemingly piercing through her thoughts. Ginny couldn't speak for a minute. Despite her frustration with him, Harry still held an immense power over her. Eventually she composed herself. "It's time for dinner."

"All right, I'll be down in a minute."

"Is that really all you have to say to me right now?"

"I can't understand what you mean by that." Harry's voice was even and calm, practically devoid of emotion.

"Well, its our last night together, so there are defiantly a lot of things you should be saying, maybe how much you love me or how much you miss me. You could even be so bold as to ask how I was doing today seeing how as we haven't spoken all day. But least of all, you could walk down to dinner with me and stop isolating yourself from everyone else, even your girlfriend!"

Harry's eyes dulled and narrowed. "Ginny, you should be supporting me, don't you realize that entire world is relying on me?"

"Of course I realize that, but what you don't realize is that there is an entire world outside of yourself. What's the point of saving something that you don't give a damn about?"

Harry chuckled. "Ginny, Ginny, you're just to young to understand. Someday you'll realize how silly you're being."

By this time Ginny was absolutely fuming. "Look, I understand how hard it is to be you right now but you'd be giving yourself a lot easier of a time if you would talk to other people once in a while and come off your high pedestal. I mean, are we even dating anymore? Because it doesn't seem like it, we haven't had a decent conversation since we were at Hogwarts!"

Harry's voice became more agitated and harsh in response to Ginny's accusations. "Well I don't really have the time or energy to be concerned with trivial things like that, do I?"

Ginny just stood in the doorway for a few seconds taking in this last biting comment. Her pretty face was bright red with anger, her eyes gleamed with disgust. Her muscles were all tense as if she was about to pounce. Finally, she simply let out a breath and spun around to make her exit.

Ginny was the youngest of a family of boys, and this showed in her character. She was tough and independent. She sat through that dinner with a fierce determination to remain civilized. Harry acted his usual self, limiting any sort of communication and displaying just the bare minimum of politeness required of him. He left the next morning along with Ron and Hermione before Ginny awoke. Ginny forced herself to replace all her confusing emotions with bitterness and anger. She didn't shed one tear.


	2. Chapter 2

"Pour me another one please," giggled Ginny.

"Already," laughed Lavender. "Geeze Gin, your really inhaling the drinks tonight." Lavender added an extremely generous quantity of vodka to a cup of orange juice and handed to Ginny. The two girls leaned against the railing on top of the astronomy tour, sipping their drinks and admiring the view. When Ginny returned to school she decided she needed to keep herself busy and distracted from the fear and distress that plagued her. Distraction was found easily in the friendship of the seventh year Gryffindors and their newly found friend, alcohol. Lavender, Parvati, Seamus, and Dean, while not as close to the missing trio as Ginny, were close enough to understand and share some her pain. They dealt with this pain by attempting to make life into a joke, or at least a party.

Loud footsteps sounded from the tower's staircase followed by the appearance of Seamus."Ahhh, you buggers started without me!"

"Well you took too long," answered Lavender as she poured the sandy-haired boy a drink. "Are Parvati and Dean coming?"

"They should be here soon, they said they wanted to take a walk around the lake first. I don't know who they think they're kidding when they claim they're not together." Ginny and Lavender laughed knowingly.

"The only people they're kidding are themselves," replied Lavender. "They both want to think of themselves as free and single but they're both completely in love with each other."

"Well I guess we can all play along then," answered Seamus. "Speaking of romance, who exactly was that tall stranger you were coddling up to at the party last night, Ginny?"

Lavender and Seamus both looked inquiringly at Ginny, who had yet to speak since Seamus' arrival. This was typical of her, she spoke little these days but commanded a powerful presence when she did. Ginny had adopted a mysterious character that year. She acted convincingly like the stereotypical party girl, just out for a good time, but her bouts of apathy and silence suggested to her friends that she was hiding her true emotions.

"I really couldn't tell you, he was a decent kisser but a little to silly and talkative. I ditched him shortly after you saw us," retorted Ginny.

Seamus looked confused, "Too silly and talkative, what do you mean?"

Lavender smiled knowingly, "If you're totally smashed, hair going every witch-way, make-up smeared, etceteras, you know you are not 'beautiful' and 'sexy' and all that, but for some reason guys all seem to think that they have to tell you this in order to get you in bed. I hate that guys think they have to trick girls to hook up with them, its demeaning. I mean, yeah we usually wanna hook up but we're not that stupid."

Ginny locked eyes with Lavender and smiled, they really got each other. Seamus looked slightly worried and agitated. "Damn, I've been doing it wrong, maybe that's why I can't get a girl."

Lavender and Ginny laughed. "Well, in truth, some girls just are that stupid and will believe you." Added Ginny.

"Haha true," said Lavender, "Especially if they're from Hufflepuff."

"Lavender!" squealed Ginny, "That's horrible!"

"Its true and you know it, that's why your laughing so hard."

"Well I never go for Hufflepuff girls," said a still worried Seamus, "They're all ugly."

At this the two girls completely lost it and were rolling on the ground. Their laughing episode was interrupted by the arrival of Dean and Parvati, and the real drinking began. Like every Friday and Saturday night, the group drank until they could barley walk, laughing the whole time, then performed stability charms on themselves so they could make it down the stairs and find a party.

Ginny had been surprised to discover just how much was going on at Hogwarts on the weekends if you knew where to look. It was mostly seventh years, and some sixth years because at that point the students were advanced enough to perform the necessary spells on their dorms to hide their activities from the authority. Tonight the party was in the seventh year Ravenclaw boy's dorm.

By the time the Gryffindors arrived the party was in full swing. The Magic Pineapples, a wizard punk rock band was blasting. Anthony Goldstein and Terry Boot were battling in a serious beer pong game surrounded by a crowd. Some people were dancing, or on the darker side of the room grinding or making out or who else knows what. Dean shoved his way through to the keg and got drinks for all his friends. Ginny sipped on hers slowly scanning the room with hazy eyes.

"We gotta show 'em our moves GinGin!" Demanded Lavender, "Come on, come on!"

"Where are our moves, I don't have moves," Ginny was thoroughly confused but started dancing happily when Lavender whisked her away to the 'dance floor' or area of the floor some clever student had magiced to flash colors whenever stepped on. Parvati and Dean joined them, while Seamus attempted to get in on the pong game.

Before long some boy Ginny didn't recognize sidled up to her and she agreeably excepted his presence. Twenty minutes later they were desperately making out in a dark corner. Ginny clung to this temporary offer of companionship, a brief relief from her intense loneliness. She put all her energy and passion into every kiss and every touch, needing to feel as much as she could and warm herself from the apathetic, shallow, and desolate life she led.

Ginny woke up when it was still dark outside. The music had stopped, the party must be over. She barley remembered what happened, but she could figure most of it out seeing how she was clothes-less in a bed she didn't recognize with blue curtains. The thin, ruffled girl creeped around gathering and putting on her clothes then ran away as quickly as he could.

Instead of heading back to her room she ran outdoors to the tree by the lake where she and Harry spent many an hour last year. Yet again, she felt dirty, cheap, and alone. She mustered all her strength and gave the tree a huge kick. As she was wearing sandals this hurt her a lot more than it hurt the tree and she let out a gasp of pain. This made her feel even more pathetic so she did the most logical thing to her still slightly-drunken mind and kicked the tree again and again.

With each kick she was punishing herself for being so completely useless and pathetic. She kicked the tree until every toe on her right foot was dripping blood. She stared and the mess she had made of her foot, and eventually walked with a newfound calm to the lake. She waded in to her knees and stood staring at the peaceful water while acknowledging all the danger that lied within it. A single tear slid down her face.


	3. Chapter 3

Monday morning 9:00 am transfiguration class. Ugh. Ginny arrived a few minutes before the bell rang. She plopped herself into a seat in the back of the room and laid her head on the desk, putting the extra time to as much use as possible.

Despite her disheveled appearance, Ginny still managed to look attractive. She had somewhat of a rock star image going with her short messy hair. In the few seconds she had to get ready she had thrown on a dark layer of black eye-liner. An old pair of ripped jeans and some battered sneakers peaked out from her partially fastened robe. When Ginny entered a room, boys' heads always turned. Besides having an attractive petite frame and beautiful soft features, she possessed an air of mystery, and more simply, coolness. Everyone knew she partied with the seventh years, and she had that attitude of aloofness and disinterest so prized by modern adolescents.

Ginny was awoken from her brief nap by the sound of shuffling indicating the entrance of McGonagall. Ginny sat up slowly and casually dug a quill and parchment out of her black messenger bag.

"It seems your performance on this past quiz was for the most part . . . good. Next time I'll have to make it much harder." Despite her harsh words, McGonagall smiled at her students. She was tough, but only because she wanted everyone to succeed. Ginny rolled her eyes. She couldn't even remember what the quiz had been on, it had been on a morning after a particularly crazy night with Parvati, night meaning until six in the morning. _Oh well, Seamus claims he does better work when he's drunk_ she thought to herself.

However, apparently Ginny did not. She groaned as she saw the large red T on her paper along with the 'see my after class.' _Who needs transfiguration anyway. As long as the old hag doesn't write to my mum, I really don't feel like getting a howler right now._

Ginny was so irritated, she barley paid attention to the rest of the lesson, not that she ever did these days. When the bell rang, she gathered up her stuff slowly waiting for the rest of the class to leave before slouching up to the front of the room.

"Miss Weasley I am severely disappointed in your performance this semester. I'm going to give you a bit of a break. I can drop this quiz grade as long as you do well on the next one. But now I need you to answer me honestly, is your poor performance due to the stress your feeling with everything that's been going on with Harry?"

_More like everything that's been going on with booze and good times_ Ginny thought wryly, still too stubborn to accept and deal with her true feelings. She could take the easy way out and say that this was true, but Ginny was absolutely determined not to display any emotional weakness. "No Professor, its just that's the material is so difficult, I just can't seem to get it," Ginny answered innocently.

"Hmm," McGonagall looked skeptical, "Well then, I wouldn't want you to drop the course at this point of year so maybe we can get you a tutor. These duties typically fall to the prefects and the head boy and girl. Since the prefects are only fifth years, and the head girl is already tutoring a couple students, it will have to be the head boy. I'll speak to him and have him get in contact with you.

Ginny sighed as she left the room. Yet another annoyance in her life.

"Hey you, you shouldn't be in the corridors at this time, get your arse to class!" Ginny looked up to see a tall blonde boy yelling at her, Draco Malfoy, head boy. The usually preppy bullying snob had mysteriously returned as normal at the start of the school year in face of the numerous rumors concerning his role in Dumbledore's death. Though at first appearing significantly more pale and abnormally reserved, he had apparently gradually assumed his old personality.

Ginny narrowed her eyes and ignored him, blocking the curse he sent when she turned her back. _Fuck, this is going to be much more than just an annoyance, this is going to be absolute hell._


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny was in an extremely sour mood after the whole transfiguration incident, so she sat down in the great hall at lunch time particularly violently. "I see its that time of the month again," Seamus remarked. Ginny gave him a death glare and he shut his mouth promptly.

"What's up?" asked Lavender.

"Sure you wanna know?"

"Just spill."

"No seriously, its pretty bad."

"Come on Gin just tell me."

"Malfoy's going to tutor me in transfiguration." Their section of the table went silent. A piece of food actually fell out of Seamus's gaping mouth. "Wh...what...how?... Why?" he managed to stammer. Ginny just shook her head and shoved some lasagna in her mouth.

"Well then," said Lavender with a straight face, "we'll just have to kill him before your next session." The friends all laughed at these, even Ginny, and talk turned to plans for next weekend.

Later that night Ginny was lounging on her bed making a half-assed attempt at her charms homework while blasting music when she just barley heard a tap on her window. She opened it and a brown school owl hopped in. She reached down and took the note sticking out of the pouch tied to its leg._ Ten in the back of the library tomorrow, blood traitor_.

Of course, after this time seemed to raced along. Before she had had a chance to fully acknowledge just how painful this tutoring session may be, Ginny was entering the library at five after ten. She slowly dragged her feet to the tables in the back which were empty. Throwing her stuff down on one, she glanced around but there was no one in sight. Apparently this wasn't a prime study hour.

Five minutes later Ginny was about to get up and leave, a wave of relief washing over her, when Malfoy strode in, a smirk on his pale face. Ginny looked right at him warily. When she met his steely gray eyes, he looked momentarily surprised but recomposed instantly. He sat down across from her gracefully and for a full minute they just stared at each other, both revealing no emotion. Ginny took in his carefully fastened robe, neatly tied tie, and carefully styled hair. His bangs were swiped across his eyes in the current fashion, and his cheeks were slightly flushed, revealing more than he would ever allow his facial expressions to show.

"Only a Weasley could manage to be failing sixth year transfiguration." Ginny didn't respond or show any indication she had heard him. "What don't you get." Malfoy's voice sounded bored and irritated. Ginny shrugged. Malfoy's eyes flashed with anger but retained an equable countenance. He had been forced to learn how to leash his emotions in order to to keep his position as head boy. Now he tried to express his disapproval through more subtle, yet just as effective means.

Malfoy raised one eyebrow. "I've heard about you, Weasley, you have a reputation." At this Ginny couldn't keep from frowning. "You've been so busy, its not a surprise you haven't had time for transfiguration."

"You have a reputation too, Malfoy, if I'm not mistaken!"

"Yes, but I'm a guy." Malfoy smiled. "Now where's this infamous quiz. Ginny seriously considered leaving but figured she was in enough trouble already. She dug the rumpled quiz out of her bag and threw it on the table. Malfoy raised his eyebrow again and smirked. Ginny was steaming, he knew just how to irritate a person.

Malfoy picked the parchment up, wrinkling his nose as it it were a dung beetle. As he read through it he frowned. "God Weasley were you drunk when you took this?"

"Maybe," Ginny answered apathetically. Malfoy looked up in surprise, as he hadn't really intended that to be a serious question.

"Look, this is probably the worst way I could imagine spending a Tuesday night. Unfortunately McGonagall has required me to wear this (Malfoy raised his hand to indicate a bronze bracelet with engraved ruins) which she magiced to sense when you are near me so I don't see much of a way around . . ."

"How near?" asked Ginny interrupted abruptly.

"Wha . . . I . . . not sure?" imploringly stammered a very taken aback Malfoy.

Ginny replied evenly, "It'd be nice to know so I could be exactly as far away from you as possible." For a moment Draco could only stare at this tiny creature who had just so cleverly insulted him. For one short moment his eyes were devoid of the hatred and suspicion they constantly harbored as they were taken over by curiosity and wonder. Of course he was still Malfoy, and this only lasted a matter of seconds as he quickly regained his composure, although his tone when he spoke again was markedly less scathing.

"I should definitely look into that, it would be most beneficial to the both of us." Ginny watched the fair boy, also possessing a small amount of curiosity in her eyes as he gracefully stood up, spun around, and disappeared among the shelves of books. After a couple minutes Ginny was thoroughly bored and confused but entertained herself by picking off some old nail polish on her thumb trying to dispense of the favorable image of a certain tight Slytherin butt that kept invading her mind. Shortly Malfoy returned with a couple books, sat back down, and began looking through them.

"Should I even ask what you're doing?" Asked Ginny, thoroughly irritated.

Malfoy answered without looking up. "Figuring out how exactly far away from you I can be. Even one centimeter might mean slightly less of your horrible stench. I suggest you study transfiguration." Ginny glared at the blonde boy but could think of no response to such a juvenile insult, and for lack of anything better to do pulled out her transfiguration book and began looking up the right answers and filling them in to the quiz she had failed.

The two dark figures remained in the library for close to two hours each slouched over their texts and scribbling occasional notes in silence. Ever so often one would venture a glance at the other, which if returned by the other would quickly turn into a glare and an abrupt look away. Finally Malfoy broke the silence, "Well I've made substantial progress. I'll just need to run some tests on this and then we'll know more about the extent of this unfavorable situation we're in. Same time next week?"

"Can't wait." replied Ginny sarcastically. However, later that night lying in bed Ginny couldn't help admitting to herself that while Malfoy may be a complete pratt he wasn't a complete imbecile. It had to be admitted that he possessed a certain amount of style and composure that suggested intelligence, not to mention his extremely intriguing physical assets. _O God._ Giggled Ginny to herself. _ I must be really horny to be thinking of Malfoy like this. Of all the most disgusting horrid people!_ With this thought she drifted off to sleep, not completely succeeding in blocking him out of her mind.


	5. Chapter 5

Thursday morning Ginny awoke with a groan to the rustling and banging of her roommates getting ready for the day. She typically rose well after them. She had long ago figured out that if she heaved herself out of bed about five minutes after they left for breakfast she would have exactly enough time to throw on some clothes and make it to class on time.

Her mind came into consciousness grudgingly and resistant. _What day is it? Thursday. Arthimancy. Did I do my homework? Fuck. I gave up halfway through last night._ Ginny let out an even loader groan and rolled over violently throwing her warm crimson sheets over her head and tucking them securely around her body. This startled a nearby roommate who gave a little jump and shot Ginny a look of what could almost be described as fear. Admittedly, Ginny's fellow sixth year Gryffindors generally thought she was pretty weird.

When the dormitory finally became silent following a last bang of the door, Ginny rolled over again and resumed the mental battle her mind raged every weekday morning._ I don't really need to go to class, it's not like I pay attention anyway. But I've already missed quite a few classes, though Professor Vector hardly ever takes attendance. But if she does, I risk detention. But I didn't finish my homework and my bed is just so damn warm._ This morning the lazier side of Ginny was victorious, and she allowed herself to plunge back into glorious sleep.

Later that afternoon Ginny sat on her bed in her pajamas enjoying the quiet and gazing out at the blue sky and sunlit grounds. Her mind kept drifting back to the same disturbing subject: Harry. After she had fallen back asleep that morning she dreamt of him lying suffering in a prison and calling out her name. She had kept trying to get to him, but couldn't find a way to get through the bars. She had finally awoke with the sinking feeling that she had failed him: in the dream _and_ in reality.

Could she have fought harder to get through to him? He was under so much stress, she had had no right to get angry at him. She could have just let him alone and supported him. Those deep green eyes haunted her constantly. Softly, Ginny began to cry, for she had truly loved Harry and now he might die. She desisted immediately though as she heard the door opening, furiously wiping tears to her eyes and mumbling a convenient spell she had discovered that year that unpuffed her eyes and unreddened her face. The spell had gotten a lot of use from her recently.

"Ginny babe?" Lavender's perky face peered around the door. "What up, you little skiver." Ginny forced a laugh as Lavender plopped down on the bed next to her.

"Well, you know I needed to conserve my energy for tonight." Ginny responded offhandedly.

"Good to see you've got your priorities straight." giggled Lavender, "As a matter of fact I've got quite the shindig lined up for tonight."

"Shindig?"

"Don't ask, I have no idea where that came from." Both laughing, the two girls giddily discussed the night's plans as well as which boys they hopped to bump into that night. The "Shindig" turned out to be a fairly exclusive party being held by Blaise Zambini. Last weekend, Lavender had gotten quite cozy with his cousin who was in Ravenclaw, and he had invited her and a friend.

Ginny paused and shot Lavender a look of doubt on entering the room and seeing that the party was made up of almost entirely Slytherins but Lavender merely shrugged though she appeared a little surprised as well at this new development. Of all the crazy things these two girls had done, they had never partied with Slytherins, but hey, they were always up for new experiences.

Four hours latter the two girls were dancing on a table with Blaise and a sandy-haired sixth year boy swigging Witch's Warm Wonderful Wine straight from the bottle. The sandy-haired boy was a bit of a dolt and also happened to be coming on very strong to Ginny. After the two had been dancing rather close for some time he reached down and met her mouth with his in a sloppy drunken kiss. At first, Ginny obliged but then, all of a sudden, a particular set of green eyes popped into her head along with all the misery she'd been feeling all day. She quickly pushed him away and stumbled off the table pushing through a crowd of people to enter a smaller room containing a couple couches.

For a minute she just stood there taking in staggered breaths and trying not to cry. Eventually, she glanced around the room, noticing that it was very dark, the sole light originating from a small lamp in the corner which illuminated a familiar figure sitting alone clutching some sort of liquor bottle.

"Weasley! Who invited you here? In case you haven't noticed this is Slytherin territory and blood traitors are not welcome. Scram!"

Ginny, usually quick with a comeback, was in no mood for conflict. For a moment she simply gazed at Malfoy with a dazed expression then quietly turned and left. Only when she was back in dormitory did she realized what she had witnessed. Had Malfoy been crying?


End file.
